UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGR AMF I F T Y - F O U R T H A N N U A L W A S H I N G T O N W E E K

W A S H I N G T O N , D . C . M A R C H 5 – 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

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The constitutional authority and responsibility does not lie with the leadership. It lies with all of us individually, collectively, and equally. In the end, that principle cannot be made to prevail by rules. It can prevail only if there is a high degree of accommodation, mutual restraint, and a measure of courage—in spite of our weaknesses—in all of us. It can prevail only if we recognize that, in the end, it is not the Senators as individuals who are of fundamental importance. In the end, it is the institution of the Senate. It is the Senate itself as one of the foundations of the Constitution. It is the Senate as one of the rocks of the Republic.

—MIKE MANSFIELD, UNITED STATES SENATOR OF MONTANA, LONGEST SERVING SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM

(image of painting Mike Mansfield by Aaron Shikler, which hangs in the U.S. Capitol, courtesy of U.S. Senate Collection)

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SENATOR MAZIE K. HIRONO of Hawaii

SENATOR MICHAEL B. ENZI of Wyoming

SENATOR CORY BOOKER of New Jersey

SENATOR CORY GARDNER of Colorado

SENATOR SHELLEY MOOR E CAPITO of West Virginia

SENATOR TA MMY BALDW IN of Wisconsin

SENATOR MITCH MCCONNELL Majority Leader

VICE PR ESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR.President of the Senate

SENATOR HAR RY R EIDDemocratic Leader

SENATOR DAVID PERDUE of Georgia

SENATOR TIM SCOTT of South Carolina

SENATOR ROBERT P. CASEY, JR. of Pennsylvania

SENATOR PATR ICK J. LEAHY of Vermont

HONOR A RY

CO - CH A IR S

CO - CH A IR S

A DV ISORY

COMMIT TE E

2016 U N IT E D S TAT E S SE NAT E YOU T H PROGR A M

SENATE A DV ISORY COMMIT TEE

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WHEREAS the continued vitality of our Republic

depends, in part, on the intelligent understanding

of our political processes and the functions of our

National Government by the citizens of the United

States; and

WHEREAS the durability of a constitutional

democracy is dependent upon alert, talented,

vigorous competition for political leadership; and

WHEREAS individual Senators have cooperated with

various private and university undergraduate and

graduate fellowship and internship programs relating

to the work of Congress; and

WHEREAS in the high schools of the United States,

there exists among students who have been elected

to student body offices in their junior or senior

year a potential reservoir of young citizens who are

experiencing their first responsibilities of service to

a constituency and who should be encouraged to

deepen their interest in and understanding of their

country’s political process: Now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate hereby expresses its

willingness to cooperate in a nationwide competitive

high school Senate youth program which would give

several representative high school students from each

State a short indoctrination into the operation of the

United States Senate and the Federal Government

generally, if such a program can be satisfactorily

arranged and completely supported by private funds

with no expense to the Federal Government.

RESOLUTION 146. To amend S. Res. 324 of

the Eighty-seventh Congress to provide for the

participation of the Department of Defense

education system for dependents in overseas

areas in the Senate Youth Program.

RESOLVED, That S. Res. 324, Eighty-seventh

Congress, agreed to May 17, 1963, is amended by

adding at the end thereof the following new section:

SECTION 3. For the purpose of this resolution, the

term “State” includes the Department of Defense

education system for dependents in overseas areas.

U N I T E D S TAT E S SE NAT E R E SOLU T ION 324

In 1962, Senate Resolution 324, submitted by Senator KUCHEL (for himself and Senators

MANSFIELD, DIRKSEN, and HUMPHREY), was referred to the Committee on Rules and

Administration, and, subsequently, unanimously approved by the United State Senate

as follows:

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Dear Delegates,

Congratulations to the 2016 class of the United States Senate Youth Program!

What an exciting year for the program. The 2016 presidential primary campaign was in full swing, providing

the backdrop for many a passionate debate among the delegates and discussions with our speakers. On behalf

of everyone at The Hearst Foundations, we commend all of you for the civil, respectful and inclusive tone you

employed with one another. You truly embody the spirit of optimism and intellectual energy that are hallmarks

of the program and of our nation.

The 54th annual Washington Week marked another milestone in USSYP history. The second Senate Youth

Program alumnus to be elected to the Senate, Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado (USSYP–CO 1993) served as

a program Co-Chair this year. Senator Gardner was electrifying in his address to the students. He joins Senator

Susan Collins of Maine, demonstrating that our program week in Washington, D.C. can spark a life in public

service at the highest level.

We were privileged to make an important announcement at the outset of the week: the college scholarship

awarded to each delegate was increased to $10,000 per student beginning this year. The Washington Week and

the college scholarship are one inseparable award, combining a unique experience in the nation’s capital with

financial support to encourage college-level study of government, history and public affairs.

The Hearst Foundations are honored to sponsor this unique and enduring partnership with the United States

Senate, the 50 state Departments of Education, the Department of Defense, and such outstanding students.

Now more than 5,500 strong, USSYP alumni excel in prominent public service positions in all branches of

government and in all sectors of society. In addition to Senator Collins and Senator Gardner, our alumni roster

includes New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; former Chief Judge Robert Henry, U.S. Court of Appeals; former

Ambassador to West Germany Richard Burt; former presidential advisors, senior congressional staff and many

other accomplished individuals. We salute all of you.

We also wish to express special gratitude to our 2016 program Co-Chairs, Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado,

and Senator Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii and their staff. Without their help and support throughout the planning

year, the program would not have been possible.

Washington Week relies on the continued endorsement of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

and their excellent staff members. The U.S. Senate and the USSYP also thank the Council of Chief State School

Officers and all of the state-level education administrators for their pivotal roles in the student selection process.

The program’s mission will continue as long as there are young people in America with a dedication to academic

excellence and a desire to serve their country.

W ILL IAM R ANDOLPH HE A R S T I I I

CONGR AT U L AT IONS FROM

W ILLI A M R A NDOLPH HE A R ST II I

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The United States Senate Youth Program is an intensive week-long educational experience sponsored by the United States Senate that nurtures an important reservoir of student talent and energy toward the high purpose of public service.

The program was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962

as stated in supporting Senate testimony from that year,

“to increase young Americans’ understanding of the

interrelationships of the three branches of government,

the caliber and responsibilities of federally elected and

appointed officials, and the vital importance of democratic

decision making not only for America but for people

around the world.”

The 54th annual Washington Week once again brought

104 outstanding high school students—two from every state,

the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense

Education Activity—to Washington, D.C. to see the federal

government up close and meet and interact with those who

lead it. As the students develop a deeper commitment to

public service they also form intellectual and emotional bonds

with their peers from across the nation.

Administered and funded by The Hearst Foundations since

inception, the USSYP utilizes no government funds. The

program is highly competitive and merit based. Qualified

students—those already serving in an elected capacity with

excellent academic performance—are nominated by their

teachers, principals and guidance counselors and are ultimately

selected by their state departments of Education. Delegates

are also each awarded a $10,000 college scholarship with

certificates often personally presented by their U.S. senators,

and are encouraged to continue coursework in history,

government and public affairs.

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W E LCOM E TO WA SHI NGTON

Excitement and Alumni Mentoring on First Day in D.C.Traveling from across the nation and overseas, anticipation mounted

as delegates were met at the local airports and train station and

brought to the historic Mayflower Hotel in downtown D.C. Meeting

for the first time, students are welcomed by their military mentors,

USSYP alumni and staff. USSYP alumni have distinguished themselves

in the fields of government, education, law, healthcare, engineering,

information technology, the nonprofit sector, business and journalism,

and are on hand at designated mentoring tables to network with the

delegates and answer questions about education and careers.

The evening of arrival day is an important moment in the program

when all students are gathered for announcements and instructions

about program rules and logistics. This is also when the students are

formally introduced to their military mentors, seventeen competitively

selected male and female officers from each service branch, assigned

to support and guide the delegates through the exciting and

demanding week to come.

The United States Senate Youth Alumni Association (www.ussyaa.org)

has forged and maintained ties with thousands of program alumni.

In addition to ongoing activities throughout the year, alumni gather

during Washington Week for the association’s annual dinner and

board meeting.

Alumni President Michael Gonzales (NM—1973) welcomes the 2016 delegates

REPUBLICAN CO - CHAIR

SENATOR CORY GARDNER of Colorado

GO OUT A ND DO GR E AT THINGS . A ND GO BOLD!

BEC AUSE OUR COUNTRY IS DEPENDING ON YOU.

The infectious enthusiasm that Senator Gardner has for the U.S. Senate Youth Program comes with good reason.

Not that long ago he was a high school senior sitting at the ceremonial opening night of Washington Week amid

the trumpet flourishes of the Color Guard and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. “I’m here in the United States

Senate representing the great state of Colorado because of the United States Senate Youth Program,” said the

1993 Colorado alumnus serving as the 2016 Republican Co-Chair. “It was here that I became enchanted with

public policy, having discussions with the other delegates around the tables, hearing viewpoints that I’d never

been exposed to, with people who, like me, were so interested in politics.” He regaled the students with stories

from his time at the program, flying on an airplane alone for the first time, hearing from Senator John Kerry and

Secretary of State Colin Powell and falling asleep from exhaustion mid-sentence while relaying the excitement to

his parents on the car ride back from the airport to his small rural town of Yuma. His father provided some early

lessons in politics as well, the first-term senator explained, when after his son’s urging, and against the wishes

of the mayor, he convinced the City Council to erect a light on a municipal basketball court so Cory and other

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teenagers could play after dark. “I realized later that it was about

more than that one light on that court; it was a part of a bigger,

broader conversation about how we spend tax dollars for services,

and how to create a better, brighter future for everyone.” Senator

Gardner outlined key issues he champions in the Senate today,

denoting the ‘four corners’ of his focus: energy, the economy,

education and the environment. Each presents priorities and

challenges reflecting the rapid pace of technological change that

impacts our economic competitiveness and society at large. ”You

can’t stop innovation,” he said. “What if we had said to Ford,

you know what, we like the car but the problem is the poor buggy

workers are going to be out of business? This is a country that

marches forward with innovation, but your generation will have

to find solutions to the displacement of jobs and manufacturing

in the economy of the future.” Tying his deep optimism for the

future to understanding of the past, Senator Gardner reminded

the delegates that, “Two hundred years ago political scientists and

philosophers were pondering ‘how did this ragtag group of rebels

and farmers break away from the greatest military power on the

face of this earth and create an unprecedented Constitution?’”

Quoting Alexis de Tocqueville, he said “It became possible because

within the heart of each and every person swelled the passion to

rise.” “I hope that you will someday realize that you too need to

be a part of the fabric of our community, to be leaders” he said.

“Look around you. The people who control our future are right

here. The people who control our destinies are sitting to your left

and to your right, and I hope that you will take that to heart. I

hope that you go out and do great things and go bold, because

our country is depending on you.”

Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado with delegates DeAnna Christensen and Se Young Cheong

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A Compassionate Leader Recalls Life of Hardship, Opportunity and Service Senator Mazie K. Hirono’s voice echoed fluidly around the massive

domed interior of the National Archives Rotunda. Behind her

the original founding documents of our nation glowed softly

against the curved stone. “I am the only immigrant serving in the

United States House or Senate right now,” said the diminutive

junior senator from Hawaii, a magnificent geometrically woven

ceremonial orchid lei about her neck. “I spent most of my

childhood being raised by grandparents on a rice farm in a

very rural part of Japan, where there was no running water.”

Senator Hirono revealed the hard path of her childhood to the

delegates, including her mother’s courage to escape a difficult

family situation and bring her young children, with one shared

suitcase, on a steerage immigration passage to the American state

of Hawaii. Her mother’s decision, heart-rending as it must have

been, led to Senator Hirono’s life of opportunity and leadership.

“So you see, there are two things I want to talk to you about

tonight,” Senator Hirono began, “that everyone can make a

difference in someone else’s life, and that you must have the

courage to take risks.” “We can all make a difference, whatever

station in life, wherever you come from,” she said, paraphrasing

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “We can all be great if greatness is

defined by making a positive difference in someone else’s life.”

Senator Hirono, the USSYP 2016 Democratic Co-Chair, embodies

the USSYP philosophy of education, leadership and public service,

coming to the United States Senate after decades of holding local

and statewide elected offices, and serving in the U.S. House.

DEMOCRATIC CO - CHAIR

SENATOR MAZIE K. HIRONO of Hawaii

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Senator Hirono also holds the distinction of being the first elected

female senator from Hawaii, the first Asian-American woman

elected to the Senate and the first U.S. senator born in Japan.

The senator’s legislative imperatives reflect her personal

experience. Speaking of her hope for comprehensive immigration

reform, she said, “We should continue to put the family unit as

the guiding principle, because no matter how smart or what type

of educational attainments an immigrant has, in order to be happy

and fulfilled, you need your family around you.” On the subject

of income inequality, a central topic in the current presidential

campaign, she said, “I know what it is like to run out of money

by the end of the month and you don’t have enough money

for rent or food.” These experiences “shape a lot of the battles

that I fight. I know who I am fighting for. These are people who

don’t have a powerful voice in the political arena. I was one of

those people myself and I certainly empathize with the desire

and the importance of creating opportunities for everyone,”

she explained. Senator Hirono serves on five Senate committees,

and when eager hands went up for questions, she moved easily

from subject to subject. She described the incredible challenge our

nation faces in understanding the intentions of the North Korean

government, the difficult process of stabilizing the Middle East

and spoke passionately about the need for America to accomplish

as much as possible through diplomatic channels instead of

military intervention. Discussing domestic policy, Senator Hirono

engaged with the delegates on the importance of strengthening

early education opportunities for all children and understanding

the impact of governmental regulation on our nation’s small

businesses. As the evening closed, Senator Hirono looked out at

the faces in her audience saying that she knew she was looking

at “future senators, members of the House and presidential

candidates,” and she urged the USSYP Class of 2016 to make

a difference and take the risks needed to venture outside their

traditional comfort zones to accomplish great goals.

Senator Mazie K. Hirono of Hawaii with delegates Perry Arrasmith and Zachary Espino

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero with North Carolina delegates Abigail Scholer and Walter Jackson

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Distinguished alumnus Robert Henry

(USSYP OK—1971) former Chief Judge of

the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth

Circuit and current president of Oklahoma

City University, began Washington

Week with a parable set in Renaissance

Rome. Conjuring a conversation

between a renowned rabbi, the Pope

and a poor Jewish tailor as mediator,

Judge Henry used humor to impress

upon the delegates how vastly different

interpretations of the same messages

can occur. The esteemed legal scholar,

who also served in the Oklahoma state

legislature, as the attorney general for the

state and as dean of the law school at

the university he now heads, shared his

life story and insight into the personalities

of the Supreme Court justices. Especially

poignant moments were shared during

the Q and A, as Judge Henry described

the erudition, joviality, intensity and

friendship of Justice Antonin Scalia who

had suddenly passed away just a few

weeks prior. Reiterating wording from

some of Justice Scalia’s scathing dissents

as well as recalling the Irish sing-along he

shared with Justice Scalia at the piano, the

students came to know the late justice

in a deeper way through Judge Henry’s

heartfelt words. Judge Henry’s keynote

breakfast speech set the stage for a day

that was focused on the Judicial Branch,

what Alexander Hamilton described

as “the least dangerous branch.” He

compared the styles of the Court’s jurists,

noting that Justice Scalia went beyond

originalism, to a “kind of originalism called

textualism,” where he would refer to

dictionaries printed centuries ago to find

the meaning of words at the time they

were written. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,

who the delegates would meet later that

day, has a different philosophy. “She is

a purposivist,” he said; “She thinks we

need to ask: What is the broad purpose

of the Constitution?” He described her

perspective as similar to that of Justice

Oliver Wendell Holmes in believing that,

“the Constitution should be flexible in the

joints. It should speak to broad intents

and broad virtues.” Judge Henry described

Justice Ginsburg’s early law career as

marked by particularly shrewd courtroom

strategies to push for gender neutral

statutes. If a law specified that a daughter,

but not a son, could claim a tax credit for

caring for elderly parents, she defended

the male rights for equal protection. Her

efforts paved the way for many cases

supporting women. As he concluded his

remarks, Judge Henry held up a small

compendium of the nation’s founding

documents. Incorporating a quote from

the Declaration of Independence, he said,

“Washington Week can be an absolute

life-changing experience for you. It is. It

will be. And if you do it right it will inspire

you to say, ‘And for the support of this

Declaration, with a firm reliance on the

protection of divine providence, we must

mutually pledge to each other our lives,

our fortunes and our sacred honor.’”

T HOUGHTS ON CI V IL R IGHTS A ND CI V IL

E NG AGE M E NT FROM E ST E E M E D A LU M N US

FORMER CHIEF JUDGE

ROBERT H. HENRY

Former Chief Judge of the 10th Circuit Robert Henry with Oklahoma delegates Nathan Levitt and Matthew Welborn

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1 3Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with New York delegates Liana Van Nostrand and Benjamin Sorkin

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave the

delegates a tour of Supreme Court history

utilizing the portraits of chief justices

lining the beautiful wood paneled walls

of the Supreme Court East Conference

Room. Pausing at the portrait of Chief

Justice John Marshall, Justice Ginsburg

proclaimed him “Perhaps the best of all,

for he was responsible for making the

Court what it is today,” citing the landmark

case Marbury v. Madison during his tenure

which enforced the Court’s right of judicial

review. Justice Ginsburg emphasized that

while the constitutions of other countries

are sometimes more “aspirational than

governing,” under Chief Justice Marshall,

the Court expanded its role, concentrating

power in the Constitution and strengthening

the rule of law. In contrast, she pointed

to the image of Roger B. Taney and

paraphrased from his infamous opinion in

the Dred Scot decision, “That no person

who came to this country an African in

chains should ever be a citizen.” “He

presided over the most terrible decision

ever given by this Court,” she said. Her

discussion of Chief Justice Morrison Waite,

who served from 1874 to 1888, focused

on the case of Belva Ann Lockwood, the

pioneering woman who petitioned to be the

first female to be admitted to the Bar of the

Supreme Court in 1879. Chief Justice Waite

was one of three justices who voted in

her favor. Pointing to Chief Justice Melville

Fuller, she credited him with instituting

the valuable tradition of the conference

handshakes. “Before the justices go on the

Bench or start their private conferences,

each justice shakes hands with each of the

others,” she said. “For those of you who are

not mathematically inclined, that’s thirty-

two handshakes,” she jokingly informed

the delegates to many laughs. Invited to ask

questions, a sea of delegate hands shot into

the air. Asked if she had faced barriers in her

career she took a positive tone. “In my own

life I have seen enormous change,” she said.

“When I entered law school in 1956 there

were 9 women and more than 600 men in

my class. There was no antidiscrimination

law at Harvard.” Today, she pointed out,

law schools are evenly split men to women,

and there are even many women deans of

law schools, as was her colleague Justice

Elena Kagan prior to being nominated to

the Court. Queried about hard choices

she has faced in her life, Justice Ginsburg

relayed how obtaining her first job in the

law was the real difficulty. Men dominated

the field, and getting any position in the law

at all was her objective. She took a job in

Sweden to help write a book about Swedish

civil procedure, and when she returned, the

women’s movement had begun and she

was able to, “Use my talents as a lawyer to

move that issue along,” she said modestly.

She told the students that among her role

models was Burnita Shelton Matthews, a

leader in the suffragist National Woman’s

Party and the first woman appointed to

serve on a U.S. District Court. When asked

about her interests other than law, the

diminutive justice broke into a huge smile

and said, “The opera, of course!” She said

she planned on attending the entire Wagner

Ring Cycle when it opened in D.C., and her

passion for her work, for history and for life

was quite evident.

JUST ICE RU T H BA DE R GI NSBU RG

“We Have Traveled So Far; and in the Right Direction.”

[above] Secretary of the Senate Julie Adams with Iowa delegates Timothy Foley, Jr. and Beau Ragland

[below] Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough with Vermont delegates Ethan McCollister and Marisa Sylvester

The senior officers of the United States Senate are among the

highest-ranking public servants most people never meet. Lucky

for the USSYP delegates, they get to hear directly from the Senate

secretary and parliamentarian each year, learning from these two

extraordinary women how they help keep the Senate running

smoothly and productively. On the verge of a career as a high

school American history teacher, Secretary of the Senate Julie E.

Adams, now in her second year in office, made the decision to

come to Washington, D.C. to gain “real world experience” before

entering the classroom. “Be open to opportunities that may deviate

from your plan,” she advised, never dreaming that she would hold

her current position, or have the opportunity to work in the White

House for First Lady Laura Bush, and for the majority leader of the

Senate, as indeed she did. But “one job after another presented

itself, and I seized the opportunities before me,” she said with

humility. Her current responsibilities truly mix the old and the new.

The secretary is concurrently charged with maintaining continuity

of the legislative process in an era of high threat levels, while also

supplying the “pens and parchment,” or as known today, modern

office supplies, for each Senate office. The Senate is a “body of

traditions,” she noted, and even in the modern era, much is still

done with ink pen and hand delivery. There was a computer system

failure a few days into her tenure, she relayed, and the Senate clerks

assured her, “As long as we have paper and pens, we can do our

job.” Secretary Adams treasures the history associated with her

role, one that began with the first secretary of the Senate, Samuel

Otis, in the year 1789. Elizabeth MacDonough has served as the

first female Senate parliamentarian for the past four years and

she offered insight into the day-to-day duties and challenges she

faces. In contrast to the secretary, her office has only been in

existence since 1935 when the complexities of Senate rules and

procedures became too dense for the presiding officer to handle

alone. Parliamentarian MacDonough describes her position as “a

nonpartisan, apolitical umpire for the Senate; a neutral arbiter of

its rules and procedures and an interpreter of federal law and the

Constitution as they apply to the Senate’s conduct of business on a

day-to-day basis.” Much like being in school, she says, “There’s a lot

of work to do, and a great deal of research, listening to opposing or

just different points of view, learning a little about a lot of things,”

she explained. “You cannot refer a bill to the proper committee if

you don’t know what that bill does or what the law behind the text

means.” The lively Q and A that followed both officers’ remarks

covered a wide range of issues, providing insight on the newest

season of House of Cards (no spoilers!), term limits and the impact

of the 24-hour news cycle on the political process. Both speakers

linked life on Capitol Hill with the tenets of the Senate Youth

Program. As Secretary Adams explained, “Everyone who works on

Capitol Hill has their own story, how they got to where they are now

and where they hope to be in the future. No two stories are the same.

But the theme you will find in most of them is the desire to make a

difference and serve this country. Public service is a noble calling.”

JU L I E A DA MS A ND

E L I Z A BET H M ACDONOUGH

Senate Officers: Leaders Behind the Scenes

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Senate Historian Dr. Betty Koed with California delegates Emily Lu and Zena Meyer

Dr. Betty Koed, the Senate’s first female historian, brought

to life senators from the 19th and 20th century for an inquiry

into the true nature of leadership. Senator Henry Wilson of

Massachusetts visited Washington in 1836 and was horrified by

the sight of a slave auction in the shadow of the Capitol. From

that moment on, he fought with complete passion for the cause

of emancipation. He declared in 1844, “Freedom and slavery

are now arrayed against each other. We must destroy slavery

or it will destroy liberty.” In 1862, as a senator, he authored the

D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act which freed the slaves in

the District of Columbia, months before President Lincoln issued

the Emancipation Proclamation.

Turning to the 20th century, Senator Margaret Chase Smith of

Maine issued her Declaration of Conscience which exemplified

courage and leadership at a time when McCarthyism had taken

root in the country. Speaking out forcefully, although only

a few weeks into her first term, she held firm to her beliefs

even when public opinion was running in the other direction.

Senator Smith broke barriers all her life. “When people keep

telling you that you can’t do a thing,” she said, “you’d kind

of like to try it.” She was the first woman to serve in both the

House and the Senate, the lone female senator for 15 of the 24

years she served in the Senate, and the first female candidate to

run for president on a major party ticket. “I am,” she explained,

“pioneering the way for a woman in the future, to make it

SE NAT E HISTOR I A N—DR . BET T Y KOE D

Defining Leadership Through Senate History

easier for her to be elected president.” Not excluding those

who actually held the title of leader, Dr. Koed highlighted the

quartet of senators who were the founding fathers of the

United States Senate Youth Program. Majority Leader Mike

Mansfield of Montana, Minority Leader Everett Dirksen of

Illinois, Majority Whip Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota and

Minority Whip Thomas Kuchel of California together guided

the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through a filibuster that lasted

from February to June of that year. This team of Republicans

and Democrats worked together to build coalitions, make

compromises, provide clause-by-clause explanations of

controversial and complex language, and finally claimed

legislative victory for the landmark Act on June 10, 1964.

Two years earlier, in 1962, this leadership team collaborated

on another bold idea: the USSYP. As Dr. Koed concluded,

“They believed this program would be an investment in the

future, bringing young people to Washington to gain a better

knowledge of how our government works, and they were right.

Here you are, 54 years later. I call that leadership.” Washington

Week’s Monday address was Dr. Koed’s first as the United States

Senate historian. The program is fortunate to be able to share

in her wisdom and looks forward to many more rewarding and

enriching conversations in years to come.

The USSYP made an inaugural visit to NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight

Center just outside of Washington, D.C. where delegates were

given an overview of the Goddard mission by NASA leadership

and a behind-the-scenes tour. Being just feet away from the

newly-installed gold mirrors of the James Webb space telescope,

set to launch from South America in 2017, or seeing a prototype

of the satellite that may capture a small asteroid from space and

bring it to our moon’s orbit was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Goddard is home to the nation’s largest organization of scientists,

engineers and technologists who build spacecraft, instruments

and new technology to study Earth, the sun, our solar system

and the universe. Delegates were welcomed by Mr. Chris Scolese,

the director of the Goddard Spaceflight Center and Dr. Robert

Lightfoot, NASA’s associate administrator who deftly explained

the literal vast universe of scientific work currently underway in

the space agency. From aeronautics, to space weather, climate

change, the commercial space industry and landing human

explorers on Mars, Dr. Lightfoot shared NASA’s vision for the

future and stressed the need for strong STEM curriculum in

America’s schools to ensure that these projects are realized.

NASA’s Deputy Director of Sciences and Exploration Dr. Piers

Sellers delved into the complexity of climate change. “What

about climate change,” he asked, “is it an ecological problem?”

It certainly is if you are a polar bear living on sea ice. “Is it an

economic problem?” he continued. “Yes, it certainly will be.

People will be displaced; food supplies disrupted.” “Is it a social

problem?” he wondered. “If I don’t have water and I don’t have

food, I am not going to be happy. One billion people, who are

already at the poor end of the world’s economic scale are going

to be worse off.” Dr. Sellers passionately described efforts to

understand, prepare for and perhaps prevent one of the most

complex challenges to face our planet. But, “there are reasons to

be cheerful,” he assured. When the USSYP Class of 2016 was in its

infancy, the scientific community raised alarm about the shrinking

ozone layer in the Southern Hemisphere. Agreements were signed

among nations, people changed habits; and in a projected image,

Dr. Sellers showed NASA findings indicating that the ozone layer

should be repaired to its original state by 2100. Dr. Sellers fielded

many thoughtful and complex scientific questions from eager

delegates, but it was the final question asked that may have left

the most lasting impression. Kentucky delegate Rimsha Nazeer

asked the three-time space traveler to share his experience.

I NSPIR AT ION I N AC T ION:

A Visit to NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center

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“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog,” said four-time USSYP keynote speaker NASA

Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr., quoting his beloved father. “You can do anything that you want to do if you set your

mind to it and you’re willing to study, work hard and not be afraid of failing.” Certain that the 2016 USSYP class was headed

toward greatness, he said, “one of you sitting in this room may one day be president—try and keep each other level-headed

and on the ground, and don’t forget the idealism you have today.”

“I want you to imagine you’re outside the Space Station, and

when you lean your head forward in the visor you can’t see the

edges of your helmet, so it’s just like being there, standing there

in the open. You’re flying along at five miles a second and can see

1,000 miles in any direction, clear as day,” Dr. Sellers reminisced.

“Imagine yourself flying across the Amazon in 15 minutes, Africa

in 22 minutes, and then you come around the night side of Earth.

The lights go out and you see the great cities of the world—what

man has achieved here. All the creativity down there. All seven

billion people. And you come through the night side and when

the sun rises on the horizon it’s like a nuclear bomb … POW! …

[opposite page] Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr., Associate Administrator of NASA

[above left] NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. with South Carolina delegates Michael Dunster and Quadri Bell

[below left] Mr. Christopher J. Scolese, Director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

[below right] Dr. Piers Sellers, astronaut, and Deputy Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate and Acting Director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASA/Goddard with Texas delegates Corina Lobo and Cesia Flores

a white flash. So, your white sun, black sky, blue world, absolutely

beautiful,” he said to a mesmerized audience, concluding, “I highly

recommend it!” A comment as the USSYP delegates departed the

auditorium summed up the morning’s keynote speeches, “If that’s

not inspiration for you, I don’t know what would be.”

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PR E SIDE NT BA R ACK OBA M A

You Would Choose Today

The 2016 delegates were waiting with mounting anticipation. They would be the last USSYP class to meet with the 44th Commander

in Chief, who had never missed his appointment with the outstanding young leaders through all eight years of his Administration. And

suddenly, there he was striding toward them, as applause, gasps and smiles swept simultaneously through the group. President Barack

Obama greeted the students with characteristic warmth and hearty congratulations. “You live at a time in history when the world is

healthier, wealthier, better educated and less violent than ever before,” he said, “where scientific breakthroughs in medicine and

revolutionary technologies of all types are taking place. If you could choose any time in history to live without knowing what race or

gender you would be, you would choose today.” The president urged the students to guard against the cynicism engendered by a season

of belligerent political debates, and passionately urged them to “Focus on what you want to do, not who you want to be. Figure out how

you will use your passion to contribute to the world; don’t worry so much about your title or your resume.” With a knowing smile, President

Obama assured the delegates, “There is no better time to be young and full of ambition than right now.”

U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Ernest Moniz was in his element in

a room full of ambitious student leaders. Having served on the

faculty and then as head of the Department of Physics at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for many years, he

had the students in the palm of his hand while recalling his 2015

appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart with fellow

guest Donald Trump. Turning his thoughts to public service,

Secretary Moniz spoke encouragingly, “I am very honored that

the president has me in my current role, but I want to emphasize

that public service has a much broader definition and scope than

just a high-ranking federal government position. From working

with local civic organizations all the way up to a day job, there are

many ways of being involved in public service, and I consider it

the most rewarding part of my career.” Prior to his appointment

by President Obama, Dr. Moniz served as the founding director

of the MIT Energy Initiative and as director of the MIT Laboratory

in Energy and the Environment, where he led multidisciplinary

technology and policy studies on the future of nuclear power,

coal, nuclear fuel cells, natural gas and solar energy. “Weapons

and windmills, quarks and quagmires,” is how he summarized

the Department of Energy mission, which includes the oversight

and security of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, nuclear

nonproliferation, renewable energy of all types, expansive

scientific laboratories assisting myriad cutting-edge research

endeavors and the cleanup of Cold War nuclear apparatus.

Response to climate change figures prominently within the mix

of priorities, too. The secretary was ready for questions and the

delegates were clearly riveted and keenly versed on subjects that

W E A PONS, W I NDMIL L S, QUA R K S A ND QUAGMIR E S:

U.S. Energy Secretary Gives Primer on Nexus of Science, Innovation and Security

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz with Massachusetts delegates Hari Kumar and Jake Jackowski

have already impacted their lives. Is a carbon tax a good way

to reduce CO2 emissions? How significant of a threat is North

Korea’s nuclear program? How will private sector innovation help

curtail greenhouse gases? What does America’s clean energy

future look like? Will fusion nuclear reaction be an answer to the

world’s energy needs? The secretary moved deftly from topic to

topic. In response to a final question, he looked at energy from a

humanitarian viewpoint, and spoke of the obligation to balance

the reduction in greenhouse gases with the need to ensure that

all the world’s population has access to energy needed for daily

living. “We need to think about our moral responsibilities in

helping to provide energy services to nearly two billion people in

the world who have no or almost no access to energy services.

That’s about improving their lives and their safety,” he said.

“India still has hundreds of millions of people without electricity.”

College and career counsel from Secretary Moniz was welcomed.

He described his academic and career trajectory that was greatly

influenced by those who took the time to guide and inspire

him. Start “finding and never letting go of good mentors” was

his advice to the young audience. Sharing his confidence in

the abilities of USSYP’s delegates, the secretary stated, “We

are counting on you, after all, in the next years and decades to

contribute very substantially to our country.”

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Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Committee, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) came to the podium

of Thursday’s luncheon in the Hart Senate Office Building

knowing what a potentially life-changing experience a high school

government and civics program could be. He reminisced with the

group about his own trip to the nation’s capital as a teenager with

Boys Nation where he served as governor of Tennessee Boys State.

The former (real) governor of Tennessee, university president,

secretary of education under George H. W. Bush and senator for

Tennessee now in his third term, jumped into interactive discussion

with the audience with his first statement. “Sometimes you may

wonder whether what we do in the Senate has anything directly

to do with you. Does anyone know what this may be?” he

queried, holding up a folded paper. Everyone in the college-bound

audience raised their hands, immediately recognizing the FAFSA

(Free Application for Federal Student Aid). At present, if a student

wants to apply for federal aid for college, all 108 questions

must be filled out. But as Senator Alexander explained, “What

Senator Bennet of Colorado and I figured out, after listening to

testimony before the Education Committee, was that we did

not need all those questions to give out Pell Grants and student

loans. We could do it with two questions: what is the size of your

family? And what is your family income?” Not only does it make

common sense, he explained, it makes the application process

less intimidating to those who may be the first in their family

to attend college. The senator spoke candidly about leadership,

recalling a story about a Cabinet meeting led by President Dwight

Eisenhower where a complicated issue was being debated.

Cabinet members each presented the president with arguments

tied to their specific interests, arguing forcibly for viewpoints

completely shaped by the lens of their agencies and departments.

President Eisenhower’s one question was, “What would be the

right thing to do?” Everyone at the table stepped back from their

parochial positions. “And so the president of the United States

turned to his press secretary and said, ‘Mr. Hagerty, go out and

tell the media that’s what we are going to do.’ Pretty good lesson

I think for any of us at any age, at any stage of our careers.”

The 2016 presidential campaign and education reform were

explored in the Q and A session. Much has changed since Senator

Alexander ran for president in 1996 and 2000. Even though it was

not that long ago, Senator Alexander was the first candidate to

announce his intention to run for president on the internet. Of the

current presidential race, the senator encouraged a focus on the

positive, “Someone will have to paint a vision of the future, bring

out the best in us, and appeal to our better nature,” he opined. In

closing, Senator Alexander reflected on being a 16-year-old and

hearing the governor of Tennessee predict that, “One day, one

of you will grow up to be the real governor of Tennessee.” The

esteemed statesman of the Senate carried that sentiment forward.

“Someday one of you, many of you, will have a chance, if you

want, to become a United States senator,” he said, “And I hope

that you do.”

SE NATOR L A M A R A L E X A NDE R

What Would be the Right Thing to Do?

Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee with Tennessee delegates Justin Cross and Claire Barnett

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Washington Post opinion writer Jonathan Capehart knew he

was looking out at an audience of hyper-intelligent digital age

news junkies, so he dove right in. “I want to talk about the

democratization of information,” he began, “This has been an

amazing time! 15–20 years ago the major news producers in New

York and Washington, along with a handful of strong regional

newspapers, would determine what was news. Enter the internet

and all of that has changed,” he smiled. “Now you have as

much access and information as I do as a journalist, but there’s a

responsibility on you, as a news consumer, to make sure that you

are effectively synthesizing and using that information.” Having

previously served as the youngest member of the New York

Daily News editorial board which won a Pulitzer Prize during his

tenure, and currently appearing as a regular political commentator

on MSNBC, Mr. Capehart is at the epicenter of political debate

and commentary during the maelstrom of the 2016 presidential

primary campaign. He cautioned the delegates to not allow the

delivery of information to preclude their deeper understanding

of the issues. “Especially on Twitter, people tend to just read the

headline and not click the link,” he lamented. “If I wrote the way

most people read I’d be fired! Read the pieces. Read them with

comprehension. Look for the nuances. We writers, we’re not

just throwing things up on a screen; every word, every sentence

is considered, so just remember, read before you tweet!” Mr.

Capehart relayed his personal story of knowing from a very early

age that he wanted to be a journalist. Through a serendipitous

route, he came as a high school junior into the NBC Nightly News

office in New York early one morning, and mounted the courage

to strike up a conversation with the one person he saw at a desk.

That moment led to the internship that began his professional

path. “There are several lessons in that story,” he said, “One, have

a dream. Have this overarching dream that you could not possibly

think could come true, and it can come true. The second thing

is be mindful of guardian angels. Some of them you can see and

you know who they are, but there are a lot of guardian angels out

there who exert influence over your life without you ever knowing

that they’re there.” The delegates had more questions than time

allowed, but many subjects were covered including reporting

from Syria, the rise of more extreme populist candidates, the

tension between transparency and national security and the

roiling issues of race relations and civil rights in America. “Things

are really bad,” he said somberly, regarding race and police

violence against the African American community, “And it’s

always an uncomfortable conversation. I think what’s good about

this time now is that we’re all talking about it. There’s no way to

escape talking about it.”

H AV E A N OV E R A RCHI NG DR E A M:

PA SSIONAT E AWA R D -W I N N I NG JOU R NA L IST SPE A K S HIS MI ND

Washington Post journalist Jonathan T. Capehart with Minnesota delegates Dasom Ham and Grace Greason

2 2

Competitively selected military officers designated by the Office of the Secretary of Defense were led by

Senior Military Officer Lieutenant Colonel Sidney M. Cobb, Jr., USA and Assistant Senior Military Officer

Major Kurt A. Mabis, USAF.

[from left to right] Major Juan R. Santiago Jr., USA; First Lieutenant Emily J. Meyer, USMC; Captain Natalie L. Meng, USA; Lieutenant Commander Mike McGrail, USCG; Major Breezy Long, USAF; Captain Alea Nadeem, ANG; Captain Erik A. Forestiere, USMC; First Lieutenant Kira Loera, USAF; Major Alvin D. Phillips, ARNG; Lieutenant Colonel Sidney M. Cobb, Jr., USA; Captain Bryanna Appleby, USA; Major Kurt A. Mabis, USAF; Captain Valyncia S. Hill, USAF; Captain Michael H. McCarthy, USMC; Lieutenant Michael J. Keating, USN; Captain Heather C. Kaiser, USA; Captain Jeffrey R. Dierling, USMC

The Outstanding 2016 MIL ITA RY M E NTOR T E A M

2 32 3

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DEPA RT M E NT OF STAT E

Content, Context and Counsel: State Department Spokesperson Offers Insight and Advice

“Adonijah Peacock” were the unexpected first words spoken by Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and

State Department Spokesperson John Kirby at the annual USSYP luncheon in the magnificent Benjamin Franklin

State Dining Room. “I speak to you of Adonijah Peacock,” he explained, “because he looms large in my family

history.” Peacock, Mr. Kirby’s seven-times great grandfather, gave his life in the American Revolution while drying

gunpowder needed by General George Washington, and thus began the family tradition of public service. Mr.

Kirby, a retired Rear Admiral in the United States Navy after twenty-nine years, also previously served as deputy

assistant secretary of defense for media operations and Pentagon spokesperson. “Part of success in life, honestly,

is just knowing when to jump on the pony as it rides by you,” he counseled the delegates. “If you can get there,

get there. You know if it’s the right thing; don’t overthink it.” Only ten months into his new position at the

State Department, Mr. Kirby described the focus of his work as “the three Cs: Content, Context and Counsel.”

Content is self-explanatory, he said, but context is more complicated. “A big part of my job is to boil down the

complicated and make it simple, not just so I can stand up at a podium and talk in an intelligent way, but so that

what is said is approachable and accessible to people all around the world,” he explained. Lastly he described the

meaning of counsel in a message he shares with all future communication professionals, “No spokesman is doing

their job if they don’t have the moral courage to tell the boss something that he or she doesn’t want to hear.”

Thankfully, he notes, Secretary Kerry welcomes this insight. Mr. Kirby drew from Secretary Kerry’s comments to

highlight the role of the State Department in our modern era. “There is nothing foreign about foreign policy,”

he quoted, “the kinds of decisions that we’re making and the kinds of interactions that we have around the

world are having a direct impact every day on the American people.” The conflict in Syria, the Iran nuclear deal,

economic sanctions, social media, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the presidential election cycle were all points

of discussion during a spirited Q and A session. In fact, Mr. Kirby used the insightful USSYP questions to ready

himself for the 3:00 p.m. press conference he had on his schedule that day. He inspired many in the audience

with his positivity, and, invoking the example of his Revolutionary War ancestor again, assured, “One person

really can make a world of difference.”

[opposite page] Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs and State Department Spokesperson John Kirby

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2 6

The historic Anderson House, home to America’s Society of the

Cincinnati, was the setting for the annual USSYP Ambassador

Luncheon. The richly decorated interior, the grand staircase

showcasing 14th century Venice in José Villegas Cordero’s The

Triumph of the Dogaressa and the intricate display of portraits

and objects from the time of George Washington created an

unforgettable tableau for an afternoon focused on international

relations. German Ambassador Peter Wittig brought more than

three decades of diplomatic experience to the podium as he

addressed the attentive audience before him. He reflected on

his early career, describing long meetings and late nights at

the United Nations, saying that it was “particularly rewarding

to serve your country in those posts, shaping solutions to

problems.” He characterized the German-American relationship

as a “transatlantic engine,” noting that cooperation between

the two nations is strong and multifaceted. Ambassador Wittig

described several shared challenges facing both countries,

including transitioning to clean energy to alleviate climate change,

incorporating immigrant and refugee populations into diverse

societies, guarding against the rise of terrorism and maintaining

strong economies both at home and globally. Cooperation among

strong partners is the key to positive outcomes, he said, noting,

“I think the U.S. has a high interest to see a strong Europe—not

a European Union that is coming apart.” Using the current

European migrant crisis as an example, he continued, “Only a joint

approach will solve this crisis, a joint approach that addresses the

root causes of the refugee influx, especially the war in Syria, the

instability in the Middle East and other regions, improving the

situation in refugee camps and supporting the transit countries in

the region.” His audience of high school juniors and seniors seized

the opportunity to ask a first question about college affordability,

comparing the differing systems in America and Germany. With

a knowing nod, the ambassador responded. His own son, a

high school senior, was in the midst of the college application

German Ambassador Peter Wittig speaks at Museum of American Liberty

process, and he readily acknowledged the excellence of American

higher education. The USSYP annual Ambassador Luncheon

always focuses on the interconnectedness of our world, and

highlights public service opportunities on an international scale.

Ambassador Wittig’s closing words assured the listeners that all

are ambassadors; our nations’ partnership depends on “thousands

of people-to-people contacts and relationships, from students, to

scholars and scientists, to cultural and social figures, to business

and political leaders—and these ties especially depend on you and

how you and other young people fill them with life.”

Welcoming the group to the magnificent Anderson House was

historian Jack Warren, the executive director of the Society of the

Cincinnati, the nation’s oldest patriotic organization, founded

in 1783 by officers of the Continental Army and their French

counterparts who served together in the American Revolution. The

Society’s mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of the

achievement of American independence. Mr. Warren brought to

life those who ushered a new form of government to the world

stage, forever changing society. “The world that we live in began

then,” Mr. Warren said, “when people stood up and said ‘We

are going to create a nation for the first time in human history,

for the very first time, a nation whose purpose is to promote the

interests and defend the liberties of ordinary people.’” Tracing a

direct line from our first president to the mission of the USSYP,

he recalled a 1789 speech by George Washington, quoting, “It

should be the highest ambition of every American to set aside his

private interests and recognize that the choices that he makes will

have consequences, not just for himself but for generations and

generations.”

[opposite page] His Exellency Peter Wittig, Ambassador to the U.S. Embassy of Germany, with Virginia delegates Monica Marciano and William Shangraw

[above] Mr. Jack Warren, executive director, Society of the Cincinnati with District of Columbia delegates Brian Contreras and Max Finkelpearl

2 7

The Grand Ballroom of The Mayflower Hotel transforms

into a C-SPAN television studio one morning each year

during Washington Week. The lights are in place, the sound

system is checked and C-SPAN founder and CEO Brian Lamb

welcomes viewers from across the nation to share an hour

with 104 of the brightest student leaders in America and

their dedicated military mentors. He expertly guides the

conversation as delegates reflect on the week they have just

experienced, and its impact on their future. What were the

most memorable moments? Which speaker said something

that made a deep impression? Which sources do you seek for

news? Why has the partisan divide in our nation seemingly

deepened? Who is your role model? Delegates espousing

differing political viewpoints stood side by side as Mr. Lamb

sparked impromptu debates on campaign finance reform,

the presidential campaign, the First Amendment, domestic

economic policy and other hot button issues. In true USSYP

fashion, civilized discourse prevailed. West Virginia delegate

Adrien Inman explained the tone of the week, “We engage

in political discussion and we talk about things we believe

in.” Despite firmly held convictions, a conversation can end

with, “Well, your opinion is very respectable,” he said, “We

don’t hear that in national politics. It’s inspiring to see that

we’re all together, even if we have differing views.” Who

has inspired this class of student leaders on the verge of

adulthood? Mr. Lamb approached Maine delegate Julia

Blackwell who described her own mother’s sacrifices to

ensure her happiness and success. “She took the time in

her life to raise me as an independent woman and I value

everything she has taught me,” she said with emotion.

Louisiana delegate Cade Herman described his father’s work

ethic seeking the American dream. Teachers, a brother, a

school board member, a debate team coach and others were

all honored with the heartfelt words of grateful delegates.

The C-SPAN founder posed a few final questions to elicit

future plans and aspirations. Georgia delegate Meredith

McCain described the week as fostering “a passion to give

back, to serve the public. No matter what sector or industry

we go into, we all want to serve others and be involved in

the whole process of American democracy.” Serving in the

Senate, foreign service or possibly as president were all

mentioned as potential career pathways. Mr. Lamb, and the

rest of America, may be seeing these faces on C-SPAN again

in the future.

BR I A N L A MB OF C-SPA N

An Oasis of Civilized Debate on National Television

C-SPAN Founder Brian Lamb with Indiana delegates Brooke Hanes and Alex Yom

2 8

MR. MICHAEL ALLISON

President of the National Association of Secondary School Principals

He proudly represents over 90,000 school principals and over 1 million students through NASSP’s student programs—the National Honor Society and National Student Council Association.

MS. LYNN BAMBERRY

Director, Competitive Grants and Awards, Colorado Department of Education

MS. TIFFANY FRIAS

Education Specialist, Student Activities, Hawaii State Education Department

DIST I NGU ISH E D E DUC ATOR S JOI NE D DE L EG AT E S FOR T H E 54T H A N N UA L

WA SHI NGTON W E EK

The president of the National

Association of Secondary School

Principals (NASSP) and selection

administrators from the states of the

USSYP Senate Co-Chairs are invited

to join the delegates each year for

Washington Week. We thank our

partners in education for all that they

do to support the student selection

process.

Washington Week 2016 included keynote speeches by the president, a Supreme

Court justice, a Cabinet secretary, several senators, an ambassador, an agency head

and a renowned journalist. Much like passing the torch to the next generation,

USSYP tradition leaves the last two speeches of the week in the hands of the

delegates themselves. After intense debate and a caucus, two members of the

USSYP Class of 2016, one male and one female, were elected by their peers to offer

farewell remarks. Delegates Meredith McCain of Georgia and Benjamin Sorkin of

New York inspired and entertained their fellow delegates with uplifting, emotional

and thought-provoking speeches. The Farewell Dinner brought solemn closure to

the week with a moving flag-folding ceremony conducted by the 2016 military

mentors and the Presentation of the Colors by the Joint Armed Forces Color Guard.

2016 DELEGATE SPEECHES

An Evening to Say Farewell

[above left] Benjamin Sorkin (NY–2016)

[above right] Meredith McCain (GA–2016)

2 9

HONOR S FROM T H E IR SE NATOR S

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A L A B A M A

Senator Richard C. Shelby with

Deja Chappell and Steven Higgins

A L A B A M A

Senator Jeff Sessions with

Deja Chappell and Steven Higgins

A L A S K A

Senator Daniel Sullivan with

Lucas Arthur and Kiera O’Brien

A R I ZO N A

Senator Jeff Flake with

Lydia Chew and Ryley Goulet

A R K A N S A S

Senator John Boozman with

Anna Cunningham and

Hannah Robbins

A R K A N S A S

Senator Tom Cotton with

Anna Cunningham and

Hannah Robbins

SENAT E R ECEP T ION AT T ENDEE S U N I T ED S TAT E S SENAT E YOU T H PROGR A M 2016

Seventy-eight senators and the D.C. delegate to Congress participated in Washington Week 2016, either at speaking events or by

attending the 54th annual USSYP Senate Reception where they congratulated their student delegates and presented them with their

$10,000 college scholarship certificates.

C A L I F O R N I A

Senator Dianne Feinstein with

Emily Lu and Zena Meyer

C O LO R A D O

Senator Michael F. Bennet with

DeAnna Christensen and

Se Young Cheong

3 1

D E L AWA R E

Senator Christopher A. Coons

with Laura Wagner and

Charles Megginson, IV

D I S T R I C T O F C O LU M B I A

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton

with Brian Contreras and Max Finkelpearl

F LO R I D A

Senator Bill Nelson with

Adam Kozloski, Kyelee Fitts

(DoDEA) and Nii Soja Torto

G E O RG I A

Senator Johnny Isakson with

Justin Deal and Meredith McCain

H AWA I I

Senator Mazie K. Hirono with

Perry Arrasmith and

Zachary Espino

H AWA I I

Senator Brian Schatz with

Perry Arrasmith and

Zachary Espino

I D A H O

Senator James E. Risch with

Mark Jerome and Ashlynn Hall

I N D I A N A

Senator Daniel Coats with

Brooke Hanes and Alex Yom

C O LO R A D O

Senator Cory Gardner with

Se Young Cheong and

DeAnna Christensen

C O N N E C T I C U T

Senator Richard Blumenthal with

Durga Rathi and

Alexandra Prendergast

C O N N E C T I C U T

Senator Christopher Murphy with

Alexandra Prendergast and

Durga Rathi

D E L AWA R E

Senator Thomas R. Carper with

Laura Wagner and

Charles Megginson, IV

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I N D I A N A

Senator Joe Donnelly with

Brooke Hanes and Alex Yom

I OWA

Senator Charles Grassley with

Timothy Foley, Jr. and

Beau Ragland

I OWA

Senator Joni Ernst with

Beau Ragland and

Timothy Foley, Jr.

K A N S A S

Senator Jerry Moran with

Jared Long and

Andrew Figueiredo

K E N T U C K Y

Senator Rand Paul with

Caitlin Hertzendorf and

Rimsha Nazeer

LO U I S I A N A

Senator David Vitter with

Nathan Marak and Cade Herman

LO U I S I A N A

Senator Bill Cassidy with

Nathan Marak and Cade Herman

M A I N E

Senator Susan M. Collins with

Lexie Jamieson and Julia Blackwell

M A I N E

Senator Angus S. King, Jr. with

Lexie Jamieson and Julia Blackwell

M A RY L A N D

Senator Barbara A. Mikulski with

Matthew Saxton and

Alexander McGrath

M A RY L A N D

Senator Benjamin L. Cardin with

Matthew Saxton and

Alexander McGrath

M A S S AC H U S E T TS

Senator Elizabeth Warren with

Hari Kumar and Jake Jackowski

3 3

M I S S I S S I P PI

Senator Thad Cochran with

Joseph Hasbrouck and

Jackson Wilkins

M I S S I S S I P PI

Senator Roger F. Wicker with

Joseph Hasbrouck and

Jackson Wilkins

M I S S O U R I

Senator Roy Blunt with

Meghana Bharadwaj and

Helene Slinker

M O N TA N A

Senator Jon Tester with

Mollie Lemm and Arthur Pettit

M O N TA N A

Senator Steve Daines with

Arthur Pettit and Mollie Lemm

N E B R A S K A

Senator Deb Fischer with

Sean Lynch, II and Paige Wergin

N E B R A S K A

Senator Ben Sasse with

Sean Lynch, II and Paige Wergin

N EW H A M P S H I R E

Senator Jeanne Shaheen with

Jacob Marcus and with Diab Eid

M A S S AC H U S E T TS

Senator Edward J. Markey with

Hari Kumar and Jake Jackowski

M I C H I G A N

Senator Gary Peters with

Caroline Yapp and Jacob Aymen

M I N N E S OTA

Senator Amy Klobuchar with

Grace Greason and Dasom Ham

M I N N E S OTA

Senator Al Franken with

Grace Greason and Dasom Ham

3 4

N EW H A M P S H I R E

Senator Kelly Ayotte with

Diab Eid and Jacob Marcus

N EW J E R S EY

Senator Robert Menendez with

Mahishan Gnanaseharan and

Abigail Yashiro

N EW J E R S EY

Senator Cory Booker with

Mahishan Gnanaseharan and

Abigail Yashiro

N EW M E X I C O

Senator Tom Udall with

André Gonzales and David Rivero

N EW M E X I C O

Senator Martin Heinrich with

André Gonzales and David Rivero

N EW YO R K

Senator Charles E. Schumer with

Benjamin Sorkin and

Liana Van Nostrand

N O RT H C A RO L I N A

Senators Thom Tillis and

Richard Burr with

Walter Jackson, IV, Aanand Shah

(DoDEA), and Abigail Scholer

N O RT H D A KOTA

Senator John Hoeven with

Sara Hatlewick and Alexis Vannett

N O RT H D A KOTA

Senator Heidi Heitkamp with

Sara Hatlewick and Alexis Vannett

O H I O

Senator Rob Portman with

Lillian Lin and Richard Hwang

O K L A H O M A

Senator James M. Inhofe with

Matthew Welborn and

Nathan Levit

O K L A H O M A

Senator James Lankford with

Matthew Welborn and

Nathan Levit

3 5

R H O D E I S L A N D

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse with

Keith Jillette and Zachary Johnson

S O U T H C A RO L I N A

Senator Tim Scott with

Quadri Bell and Michael Dunster

S O U T H D A KOTA

Senator John Thune with

Caroline Moriarty and Manaal Ali

S O U T H D A KOTA

Senator Michael Rounds with

Caroline Moriarty and Manaal Ali

T E N N E S S E E

Senator Lamar Alexander with

Justin Cross and Claire Barnett

T E N N E S S E E

Senator Bob Corker with

Justin Cross and Claire Barnett

T E X A S

Senator John Cornyn with

Cesia Flores and Corina Lobo

U TA H

Senator Orrin G. Hatch with

Ellie McDonald and Carson Robb

O R E G O N

Senator Jeff Merkley with

Avery Allen and Jessica Cobian

PE N N S Y LVA N I A

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. with

Roshni Mehta and Luke Myers

PE N N S Y LVA N I A

Senator Patrick J. Toomey with

Roshni Mehta and Luke Myers

R H O D E I S L A N D

Senator Jack Reed with

Keith Jillette and Zachary Johnson

3 6

V E R M O N T

Senator Patrick J. Leahy with

Ethan McCollister and

Marisa Sylvester

V I RG I N I A

Senator Mark R. Warner with

William Shangraw and

Monica Marciano

V I RG I N I A

Senator Tim Kaine with

William Shangraw and

Monica Marciano

WA S H I N G TO N

Senator Maria Cantwell with

Lucy Ma and Hashwinder Singh

W E S T V I RG I N I A

Senator Joe Manchin, III with

Arka Gupta and Adrien Inman

W E S T V I RG I N I A

Senator Shelley Moore Capito with

Arka Gupta and Adrien Inman

W I S C O N S I N

Senator Ron Johnson with

Alesha Guenther and

Elyssa Vondra

W I S C O N S I N

Senator Tammy Baldwin with

Alesha Guenther and

Elyssa Vondra

W YO M I N G

Senator Michael B. Enzi with

Madeline Moreno and

Joshua Calvert

W YO M I N G

Senator John Barrasso with

Madeline Moreno and

Joshua Calvert

3 7

IN THEIR OW N WOR DS

3 8

The thing you notice about Washington Week is just how

reasonable every single person you have the opportunity to speak

with is, even the people you disagree with. You even realize that

you agree with quite a bit of what conservative senators like Lamar

Alexander or Cory Gardner are saying. Senator Gardner’s four point

plan of Energy, Economy, Education and Environment incorporated

many common sense solutions. His plan to make buildings owned by

the federal government more energy efficient spoke to me. I know

that many of the Republicans I talked to had the same experience

listening to liberals like Senator Mazie Hirono and Justice Ruth Bader

Ginsburg.

A RT HU R PE T T I T, M T– 2016

“You don’t know what is out there until you’ve stumbled across it,”

said the parliamentarian of the Senate, a woman by the name of

Elizabeth MacDonough. Before traveling to Washington, D.C. as a

part of the United States Senate Youth Program, I didn’t even know

enough to realize how true that statement was.

M O LL IE LEM M , M T– 2016

Dear Political Leaders, Elected Officials, and Other Speakers: Thank

you all so very much for taking time to speak with us during our

Washington Week. It is people like you who we all look up to and

aspire to be one day. I will always remember that I do belong. To

be mindful of my guardian angels. To remember that public service

is a noble calling. That there is so much more to leadership and

being a leader than just a title. To take risks in life. That America is

an exceptional country. To find and never let go of good mentors.

To question. To fight against lower standards every day. That one

person really can make a world of difference. And, if I ever get the

chance, to take a trip up to space and see the phenomenal view

recommended by THE INCREDIBLE Dr. Piers Sellers. You all inspire

our generation. We are so grateful to have people like you to look

up to.

A LE X I S VA N NE T T, N D – 2016

My only advice about Washington Week for those future delegates

scouring the pages of the USSYP website is this: take notes and be

in the moment.

JA KE JACKOW SK I , M A – 2016

When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke to us, one particular detail

especially stuck with me. She said that justices at the end of each

day, regardless of their differing beliefs and opinions, would shake

hands with one another. She said, “We recognize that we’re serving

an institution ever so more important than individuals.”

DU RG A R AT HI , C T– 2016

Listening to Justice Ginsburg speak impacted me in a way I hadn’t

expected. As a conservative and someone relatively new to loving

politics and government, I did not grow up idolizing her as many of

the girls in our group did. I understood how influential she has been

to the American court system and civil rights in our country, but

what the media could not capture was her tremendous wit. I was

fortunate to sit in the front row while she spoke, and I was absorbed

by her story the entire time. Listening as she described her struggles

as a woman in college, law school and in her early career struck

me because she lived through a time of such inequality that I can

hardly imagine as a young woman growing up today. I realized that

not only did she live through this time, but she was also one of the

most influential people working toward remedying such inequality,

and she was standing in that room, talking to us. Having read her

dissents, I was surprised by how soft spoken she was, and the

unexpected way she managed to interject witty comments into a

dialogue about court cases that defined our nation. I wish everyone

my age could have the opportunity to hear her speak because

listening to her gave me a new appreciation for my rights and a

deepened respect for those who fight to ensure them.

K IER A O ’ BR IEN , A K– 2016

Growing up in a rather homogenous suburban society, I never truly

realized how isolated I was in my exposure to differing opinions. The

discussions I have always had at home with my classmates about the

problems facing the nation and the world in no way can compare

to the serious intellectual exchanges I had with my fellow USSYP

delegates at Washington Week. From the possibility of a federal

mandate of vaccines to intriguing discussions of what it means to

be trans-racial, I learned more in the span of a week at USSYP than

I could have in the span of months elsewhere. We sat together

in the same rooms, at the same tables, listening intently to each

distinguished speaker. The pen marks on our hands, our sore wrists,

our unwavering concentration and our copious pages of notes attest

to the amount of information we absorbed.

N I I SOJA TO RTO, FL– 2016

3 9

One of the most memorable speakers for me was Senator Cory

Gardner from Colorado, a USSYP alum himself. However, it was not

his political opinions that struck me the most, rather his personal

advice and eloquence. Senator Gardner said, “You don’t have to act

like you belong because you do belong. You belong in this nation,

not as passive observers but as active participants who will solve

great challenges.” This especially struck a chord with me because I

have often felt out of place in my high school, but Senator Gardner’s

words summed up my entire Washington Week experience by

reminding me that whatever path I choose to pursue, my greatest

goal needs to remain helping others.

C A I T L I N HERT ZEN DO RF, K Y– 2016

President Obama reminded us of a hopeful reality with the inspiring

proclamation that we “live in a time that is healthier, wealthier, more

educated, more tolerant, less violent and more accepting of each

other’s differences than ever before.” Our own president urged us

to remain optimistic in the face of increasingly negative media and

debates, focusing instead on the positive changes we have made,

including tolerance and the importance of diverse perspectives in

politics.

M A RI SA S Y LV ES T ER , V T– 2016

The biggest takeaway of the week for me was a quotation from

President Obama. He told us to “not focus on what you want to be,

focus on what you want to do.” During Washington Week, I was

surrounded by people who are focusing on what they want to do.

All of us are in high-pressure high school environments that often

focus on numbers and superficiality. But all of the other delegates

I was so fortunate to meet and talk to were passionate, especially

regarding government and politics. And if our next generation of

leaders are do-ers instead of be-ers—that gives me hope.

W I LL I A M “JACK” SH A N G R AW, VA – 2016

I most enjoyed listening to the inspiring words of the Secretary

of the Senate Julie Adams and the Parliamentarian of the Senate

Elizabeth MacDonough. As a woman with aspirations in the fields

of law and public service, both women motivated me with their life

stories. I had the privilege of asking Ms. MacDonough about her

experience at law school and her account cemented my plans to

attend law school upon completion of my undergraduate degree.

The inspiration that I received from these leaders during the United

States Senate Youth Program is matchless.

A N N A CU N N I N GH A M , A R – 2016

Washington Week is an experience that I will never forget. I am no

longer another political cynic. I am more open to those who do not

believe in the same positions I do, and I work to make my beliefs less

partisan and more American.

C A RO L I NE M O RI A RT Y, S D – 2016

I was under the assumption that Washington Week was merely a

time to meet some cool people, shake their hands, get a picture

and rejoice in my achievement of being selected as a delegate.

However, one by one, each speaker and leader we met with offered

so much more than aesthetics. Jeffrey Herbst, president and CEO

of the Newseum, gave a lecture on the relationship between

technology, media and consumers. In his speech, he explained how

consumer-driven social media algorithms are being used to feed

people news and opinions they agree with, thereby creating internet

“safe-spaces” where one rarely hears the opinions of the other side.

He, along with a later speaker, MSNBC correspondent Jonathan

Capehart, challenged us to seek out people who disagree with us

and like their pages and feeds to learn more about their opposing

viewpoint. This is just one of many examples when a speaker

unexpectedly gave insight that changed my intellectual philosophy.

DI A B E I D, NH – 2016

All the experiences I had throughout the week impacted me greatly,

but there was a particular night that stood out from the rest. On

Tuesday, we had dinner at the National Archives next to the original

Declaration of Independence and Constitution. We ate Hawaiian

cuisine in honor of our special guest speaker, Senator Mazie K.

Hirono. Despite tasting the best food I’ve ever eaten, this amazing

woman captured my attention. An immigrant like my parents, she

shared intricate tales of her American success story: anecdotes laced

with values of perseverance and visions for the future. In the middle

of her speech, she reminded us, “We can all make a difference—

whatever station in life, wherever you come from.” She, like myself,

is an Asian female with an ambition for public service. The most

invaluable gift I received from her was inspiration. The inspiration that

I could, someday, also make a difference in the country that I love.

L I LL I A N L I N , OH – 2016

4 0

While all of the speakers were amazing and influenced me in one

way or another, my favorite speaker had to be Dr. Piers Sellers.

Of course, I am not often able to listen to a climate change

presentation by an astronaut, but his wit and knowledge about

climate change are what truly stood out to me. I will always

remember that the enemy of scientific progress is “the Kardashians”

and that planes are just “aluminum wrapped around a theory.” I will

also take Dr. Sellers’ advice to be optimistic about the Paris Climate

Change Treaty because it sets the tone for future action against

climate change. I was truly inspired by his presentation and learned

a lot about humanity’s impact on the earth and what we are doing

to fix the problem.

S T E V EN H IGG I N S , A L– 2016

I was amazed at how close I got with various military mentors

during the week and how much I appreciated them. They served

as more than just points of information; they truly created a family

within our military mentor groups. The military mentors connected

with the delegates in a way I couldn’t have even imagined, despite

the difference in age and life experience between us. Captain Mike

McCarthy provided support, humor and a rare smile that made my

experience at Washington Week exponentially better. These heavily

accomplished, well-decorated, yet compassionate and caring leaders

of our nation’s military give me confidence and reassurance in the

strength and character of our military and our nation as a whole.

BENJA M I N SO RK I N , N Y– 2016

The military mentors, somehow, herded us sleep-deprived delegates

all day long, cared for us, gave us advice, trained us not to eat

like an immature 16-year-old after swim practice, danced with us,

dispensed valuable advice, held bags and inspired us. I feared that

my highly-decorated military mentor would yell at me to do pushups

in the middle of the night, but instead, Major Breezy Long shared

her experiences with the armed services, laughed with us, hugged

us, congratulated us, cared about us and taught us about the

importance of kindness, service and poise.

ZEN A ME Y ER , C A – 2016

People say they want to change the world all the time, but most

of the time, nothing comes to fruition. I guess the most accurate

way of describing the influence of USSYP is that Washington Week

truly moved me and motivated me. Rather than simply saying I am

interested in changing the world, I now want to do something. I

want to be active. I want to play a role shaping the future of United

States of America. As Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz said to all

104 of us, “We are counting on you after all.” After USSYP, I hope I

won’t let anyone down.

R ICH A RD H WA NG , OH – 2016

Very rarely does an event occur which indelibly leaves an impact

upon a person in which their entire life is transformed and the core

of who they are is altered for the better. Even more rarely do these

events occur in one’s adolescent years. And yet, all it took was seven

days in D.C. and my identity as a student, an aspiring politician and

foremost, as an American were positively influenced. For me, the

program’s most positive impact was reaffirming my desire to actively

pursue a career in politics. Being surrounded by some of the nation’s

most intelligent and passionate students comprised an environment

in which everyone wanted to give back to the country that molded

them. To be a part of such a great community was a reminder that

there are people within my generation who do have the yearning

to make the world a better place, a stark contrast to the sometimes

bleak and grim reality our generation is faced with.

H A SH W I N DER S I N GH , WA – 2016

After spending a week listening to professional orators, talking with

journalists and policy writers and lawyers and engaging with other

students insistent on filling every waking moment with one debate

or another, I at the very least have to believe that with the right

words, the world can truly be changed.

BR I A N CO N T RER A S , DC – 2016

4 1

DE L EG AT E S TOU R E D HISTOR IC SIT E S I N T H E NAT ION’S C A PITA L

4 2

4 3

C A NDID PHOTOS FROM WA SHI NGTON W E EK 2016

4 54 5

4 6

Senator

Richard C. Shelby

Senator

Jeff Sessions

Deja Chappell

Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School

Steven Higgins

Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School

A L A B A M A

A L A SK A

Senator

Lisa Murkowski

Lucas Arthur

Mat-Su Career & Technical High School

Kiera O’Brien

Ketchikan High School

Senator

John McCain

Senator

Jeff Flake

Lydia Chew

Hamilton High School

Ryley Goulet

Mesquite High School

A R I Z ON A

OFFICI A L SENATOR A ND ST U DEN T DEL EG AT E ROST ER U N I T ED S TAT E S SENAT E YOU T H PROGR A M 2016

Senator

Daniel Sullivan

4 7

A R K A NS A S

Senator

Tom Cotton

Senator

John Boozman

Anna Cunningham

DeWitt High School

Hannah Robbins

Rogers Heritage High School

DE L AWA R E

Senator

Thomas R. Carper

Senator

Christopher A. Coons

Laura Wagner

Caesar Rodney High School

Charles Megginson, IV

Sussex Central High School

Senator

Barbara Boxer

Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Emily Lu

Maria Carrillo High School

Zena Meyer

Orange County School of the Arts

C A L I F OR N I A

C OL OR A D O

Senator

Cory Gardner

Senator

Michael F. Bennet

Se Young Cheong

D’Evelyn Jr./Sr. High School

DeAnna Christensen

William J. Palmer High School

C ON N E C T IC U T

Senator

Christopher Murphy

Senator

Richard Blumenthal

Alexandra Prendergast

Danbury High School

Durga Rathi

Cheshire High School

4 8

Senator

Marco Rubio

Senator

Bill Nelson

Kyelee Fitts

Seoul American High School, South Korea

DoDEA

Adam Kozloski

Design and Architecture Senior High School

F L OR I DA

G E ORG I A

Senator

David Perdue

Senator

Johnny Isakson

Justin Deal

Northwest Whitfield High School

Meredith McCain

Johns Creek High School

H AWA I I

Senator

Mazie K. Hirono

Senator

Brian Schatz

Perry Arrasmith

Aiea High School

Zachary Espino

Kailua High School

Mark Jerome

Borah High School

DI S T R IC T OF

C OLU M BI A

I DA HO

Brian Contreras

School Without Walls High School

Senator

James E. Risch

Representative

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Senator

Michael Crapo

Max Finkelpearl

Woodrow Wilson High School

Ashlynn Hall

Canyon Ridge High School

Nii Soja Torto

Eastside High School

4 9

I L L I NOI S

Senator

Mark Kirk

Senator

Richard J. Durbin

Kiley Marron

William Jones College Preparatory High School

Corbin Robinson

Mascoutah High School

Senator

Joe Donnelly

Senator

Daniel Coats

Brooke Hanes

Hamilton Southeastern High School

Alex Yom

Carmel High School

I N DI A N A

IOWA

Senator

Joni Ernst

Senator

Charles Grassley

Timothy Foley, Jr.

Valley High School

Beau Ragland

Marshalltown High School

K A NS A S

Senator

Jerry Moran

Senator

Pat Roberts

Andrew Figueiredo

Wichita High School East

Jared Long

Beloit Jr./Sr. High School

Rimsha Nazeer

Kentucky Country Day High School

K E N T UC K Y

Senator

Rand Paul

Senator

Mitch McConnell

Caitlin Hertzendorf

Fort Campbell High School

5 0

L OU I SI A N A

Senator

Bill Cassidy

Senator

David Vitter

Cade Herman

Sulphur High School

Nathan Marak

Loyola College Prep

Senator

Angus S. King, Jr.

Senator

Susan M. Collins

Julia Blackwell

North Yarmouth Academy

Lexie Jamieson

Scarborough High School

M A I N E

M A RY L A N D

Senator

Benjamin L. Cardin

Senator

Barbara A. Mikulski

Alexander McGrath

Severna Park High School

Matthew Saxton

Century High School

M A S S AC H USE T T S

Senator

Edward J. Markey

Senator

Elizabeth Warren

Jake Jackowski

Longmeadow High School

Hari Kumar

Shrewsbury High School

Caroline Yapp

Hackett Catholic Prep

M IC H IG A N

Senator

Gary Peters

Senator

Debbie Stabenow

Jacob Aymen

Bad Axe High School

5 1

M I N N E S OTA

Senator

Al Franken

Senator

Amy Klobuchar

Grace Greason

Mayo High School

Dasom Ham

East Ridge High School

Senator

Roger F. Wicker

Senator

Thad Cochran

Joseph Hasbrouck

Pascagoula High School

Jackson Wilkins

Sacred Heart Catholic School

M I S SI S SI PPI

M I S S OU R I

Senator

Roy Blunt

Senator

Claire McCaskill

Meghana Bharadwaj

Lafayette High School

Helene Slinker

Raytown South Senior High

MON TA N A

Senator

Steve Daines

Senator

Jon Tester

Mollie Lemm

Polson High School

Arthur Pettit

Loyola Sacred Heart High School

Paige Wergin

Aurora High School

N E BR A SK A

Senator

Ben Sasse

Senator

Deb Fischer

Sean Lynch, II

Skutt Catholic High School

5 2

N E VA DA

Senator

Dean Heller

Senator

Harry Reid

Miranda Cross

Reno High School

Katherine Krolicki

George Whittell High School

Senator

Kelly Ayotte

Senator

Jeanne Shaheen

Diab Eid

Nashua High School South

Jacob Marcus

Merrimack High School

N E W H A M PSH I R E

N E W J E R SE Y

Senator

Cory Booker

Senator

Robert Menendez

Mahishan Gnanaseharan

Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School

Abigail Yashiro

Bergen Arts and Science Charter School

N E W M E X IC O

Senator

Martin Heinrich

Senator

Tom Udall

André Gonzales

Centennial High School

David Rivero

Lovington High School

Liana Van Nostrand

Bard High School Early College

N E W YOR K

Senator

Kirsten E. Gillibrand

Senator

Charles E. Schumer

Benjamin Sorkin

Staten Island Technical High School

5 3

NORT H

C A ROL I N A

Senator

Thom Tillis

Senator

Richard Burr

Walter Jackson, IV

Scotland High School

Abigail Scholer

John T. Hoggard High School

Senator

Heidi Heitkamp

Senator

John Hoeven

Sara Hatlewick

Gackle-Streeter Public School

Alexis Vannett

Fargo North High School

NORT H

DA KOTA

OH IO

Senator

Rob Portman

Senator

Sherrod Brown

Richard Hwang

Athens High School

Lillian Lin

Dublin Coffman High School

OK L A HOM A

Senator

James Lankford

Senator

James M. Inhofe

Nathan Levit

Booker T. Washington High School

Matthew Welborn

Norman North High School

Jessica Cobian

Lost River Jr./Sr. High School

OR E G ON

Senator

Jeff Merkley

Senator

Ron Wyden

Avery Allen

Corvallis High School

Aanand Shah

Kadena High School, Japan

DoDEA

5 4

PE N NS Y LVA N I A

Senator

Patrick J. Toomey

Senator

Robert P. Casey, Jr.

Roshni Mehta

Spring-Ford Senior High School

Luke Myers

Governor Mifflin High School

Senator

Sheldon Whitehouse

Senator

Jack Reed

Keith Jillette

Woonsocket High School

Zachary Johnson

East Greenwich High School

R HODE I S L A N D

S OU T H

C A ROL I N A

Senator

Tim Scott

Senator

Lindsey Graham

Quadri Bell

Manning High School

Michael Dunster

Mauldin High School

S OU T H

DA KOTA

Senator

Michael Rounds

Senator

John Thune

Manaal Ali

Harrisburg High School

Caroline Moriarty

Roosevelt High School

Justin Cross

L&N STEM Academy

T E N N E S SE E

Senator

Bob Corker

Senator

Lamar Alexander

Claire Barnett

Rossview High School

5 5

T E X A S

Senator

Ted Cruz

Senator

John Cornyn

Cesia Flores

South Texas Business, Education & Technology Academy

Corina Lobo

Young Women’s Leadership Academy

Senator

Mike Lee

Senator

Orrin G. Hatch

Ellie McDonald

Hurricane High School

Carson Robb

Davis High School

U TA H

V E R MON T

Senator

Bernard Sanders

Senator

Patrick J. Leahy

Ethan McCollister

U-32 High School

Marisa Sylvester

Rice Memorial High School

V I RG I N I A

Senator

Tim Kaine

Senator

Mark R. Warner

Monica Marciano

Wakefield Country Day School

William Shangraw

Potomac Falls High School

Hashwinder Singh

Sumner High School

WA SH I NG TON

Senator

Maria Cantwell

Senator

Patty Murray

Lucy Ma

Interlake High School

5 6

W E S T V I RG I N I A

Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Senator

Joe Manchin, III

Arka Gupta

George Washington High School

Adrien Inman

Spring Mills High School

Senator

Tammy Baldwin

Senator

Ron Johnson

Alesha Guenther

Berlin High School

Elyssa Vondra

Platteville High School

W I S C ONSI N

W YOM I NG

Senator

John Barrasso

Senator

Michael B. Enzi

Joshua Calvert

Wheatland High School

Madeline Moreno

Laramie High School

5 7

A FA MILY, A FOU NDAT ION, A L EG AC Y

For 54 years, the United States Senate Youth Program has brought thousands of

America’s brightest young students to Washington, returning them home with

insight into their heritage and scholarships to further their education. Each year

the students leave with lasting impressions of their week including new friendships

forged in shared experiences that many term “life-changing.”

Although they did not live to see the program’s creation, the progenitors of The

Hearst Foundations are with the USSYP delegates each year in spirit. An exemplar

of American success, George Hearst was born on a farm in Missouri and went west

to seek his fortune in mining. Through industry and acumen he developed the family

fortune, eventually becoming a U.S. Senator for California. At the time of his death

in 1891, he had served four years of his six-year term. His wife, pioneering philanthropist

Phoebe Apperson Hearst, distinguished herself as one of America’s most accomplished

women, dedicated to educational and children’s causes. She co-founded the National

Parent Teachers Association in 1897, and after she died one educator said, “Her

charities were as broad as the sea and as silent as the quiet of the night.”

William Randolph Hearst, their only child, was born in 1863 and became one of the

great legends of American journalism—establishing vast media holdings and new

forms of communication as his newspapers detailed the history of the 20th century.

During his life he gave millions of dollars to colleges, hospitals, kindergartens and

museums, and in the decade before his death he established the two foundations

that bear his name.

The United States Senate Youth Program was envisioned by William Randolph

Hearst’s sons, George R. Hearst and Randolph A. Hearst, who worked with the

Senate leadership of the day—Senators Kuchel, Mansfield, Dirksen and Humphrey—

to establish and authorize the program in 1962. Millicent Hearst Boudjakdji,

granddaughter of William Randolph Hearst, continued the legacy of leadership

and support for the program in her role as foundation president. Since inception,

the Senate majority and minority leaders and the vice president of the United

States have served as the program’s honorary Co-Chairs; two senators, one of each

party, serve as annual Co-Chairs and an eight-senator bipartisan panel serves as the

annual Advisory Committee. The Hearst Foundations fully fund and administer all

operational aspects of the program including college scholarships and yearly grants

to the state departments of Education to support the selection of delegates.

The Hearst Foundations continue to support numerous charitable and educational

organizations across the country. The Foundations’ two flagship initiatives are

the United States Senate Youth Program and the annual William Randolph Hearst

Journalism Awards Program, founded in 1960, to encourage journalistic excellence

and to support education at accredited undergraduate schools of journalism across

the country.

GEORGE HEARST

PHOEBE A. HEARST

WILLIAM R. HEARST

GEORGE R. HEARST, SR.

RANDOLPH A. HEARST

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEARST FOUNDATIONS PLEASE ACCESS: WWW.HEARSTFDN.ORG

MILLICENT HEARST

BOUDJAKDJI

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Photography by Jakub Mosur and Erin Lubin Design by Public, SF

T H E H E A R ST FOU NDAT IONS

DIR ECTOR S

William Randolph Hearst IIIPR E S I DE N T

James M. Asher

Anissa B. Balson

David J. Barrett

Frank A. Bennack, Jr.

John G. Conomikes

Lisa H. Hagerman

George R. Hearst III

Gilbert C. Maurer

Mark F. Miller

Virginia H. Randt

Mitchell I. Scherzer

Steven R. Swartz

Paul “Dino” DinovitzE X E C U T I V E DI R E C TOR

George B. IrishE A S T E R N DI R E C TOR

Rayne B. Guilford PRO G R A M DI R E C TOR

Lynn DeSmetDE PU T Y DI R E C TOR

Caroline BerverPRO G R A M L I A I S ON

Catherine MahoneyPRO G R A M M A N AG E R

Sarah T. MishurovS O C I A L M E DI A M A N AG E R

SPONSORED BY THE UNITED STATES SENATE

FUNDED AND ADMINISTERED BY THE THE HEARST FOUNDATIONS

90 NEW MONTGOMERY STREET · SUITE 1212 · SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105-4504

WWW.USSENATEYOUTH.ORG

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